... torpor, which is characterised by controlled reductions of metabolism and body temperature ( T b ). We investigated at what age the precocial king quail Coturnix chinensis can defend a high T b under a mild thermal challenge and whether they can express torpor soon after achieving endothermy to overcome...

...Sean A. Williamson; Stephanie K. Courtney Jones; Adam J. Munn Phenotypic plasticity of organ size allows some animals to manage fluctuations of resource quality or availability. Here, we examined the phenotypic plasticity of the gastrointestinal tract of king quail ( Coturnix chinensis ) in a diet...

...Graham N. Askew; Richard L. Marsh SUMMARY Take-off in birds at high speeds and steep angles of elevation requires a high burst power output. The mean power output of the pectoralis muscle of blue-breasted quail ( Coturnix chinensis ) during take-off is approximately 400 W kg -1 muscle...

...Graham N. Askew; Richard L. Marsh SUMMARY Sonomicrometry and electromyographic (EMG) recordings were made for the pectoralis muscle of blue-breasted quail ( Coturnix chinensis ) during take-off and horizontal flight. In both modes of flight, the pectoralis strain trajectory was asymmetrical...

...Graham N. Askew; Richard L. Marsh; Charles P. Ellington SUMMARY Blue-breasted quail ( Coturnix chinensis ) were filmed during take-off flights. By tracking the position of the centre of mass of the bird in three dimensions, we were able to calculate the power required to increase the potential...

...James T. Pearson; Masaoki Tsudzuki; Yoshifumi Nakane; Ryuichi Akiyama; Hiroshi Tazawa ABSTRACT Our aim was to examine changes in heart rate ( f H ) during the embryonic and posthatching periods of the smallest precocial avian species, Coturnix chinensis . In experiment I, repeated measurements...